China prepares two thirds of London 2012 souvenirs

London Mercury (ANI) Saturday 4th February, 2012

A majority of the 2012 London souvenirs, including Union Jack-emblazoned tea cups, tea towels, crystal ware and fluffy toys are produced by workers abroad, mainly China.

According to a Daily Mail investigation, a mere nine per cent of the souvenirs are actually made in England. Sixty-two percent of them are made in China, nine percent in Turkey and four percent in Philippines.

Countries such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Poland, Slovakia and Germany made the rest, including T-shirts, bags, hats, toys and games.

This has not only robbed England's craftsmen of an opportunity to showcase their workmanship to the world but thousands of jobs and millions of pounds worth of profitable contracts have also gone abroad.

Even well known names such as Wedgwood and Royal Doulton have resorted to foreign factories to produce their mementoes of the Games.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has envisaged collecting in one billion pounds in revenue and 86 million pounds profit from 2012 souvenirs.

Various detractors have blamed the organizing committee for giving contracts just because of many household name of their British heritage and had shattered the chance to showcase local craftsmanship.

The Olympics organizers, LOCOG has meanwhile pointed out that 90 per cent of the licenses are given to the British companies or those, which provide work for British staff. (ANI)